Nowadays, computers are widely used and become essential parts in our daily lives. In addition to the working purposes, computers can be employed as amusement tools. With increasing development of computers, computer peripheral devices make great progress. Moreover, input devices play important roles in communicating computers and user. As known, a keyboard device is one of the most important input devices. Consequently, the manufacturers of keyboard device make efforts in designing novel keyboard devices with special functions in order to meet the requirements of different users.
Generally, a keyboard device comprises plural key structures. FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded view illustrating a conventional key structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional key structure 1 comprises a keycap 11, a scissors-type connecting member 12, an elastic rubbery element 13, a switch circuit board 14, and a base plate 15. The keycap 11 may be depressed by a user. In addition, the keycap 11 is connected with the scissors-type connecting member 12. The scissors-type connecting member 12 comprises an inner frame 121 and an outer frame 122. The scissors-type connecting member 12 is connected with the keycap 11 and the base plate 15. The inner frame 121 has an inner frame shaft 1211. The outer frame 122 has an outer frame hole 1221 corresponding to the inner frame shaft 1211. After the inner frame shaft 1211 is inserted into the outer frame hole 1221, the inner frame 121 and the outer frame 122 are combined together. Consequently, the inner frame 121 is rotatable relative to the outer frame 122. The switch circuit board 14 is disposed on the base plate 15. The elastic rubbery element 13 is arranged between the keycap 11 and the switch circuit board 14. When the keycap 11 is depressed, the elastic rubbery element 13 is pushed by the keycap 11 and thus subject to deformation. Consequently, the switch circuit board 14 is triggered to generate a key signal. After the above components are combined together, the assembled key structure 1 is shown in FIG. 2.
However, since the elastic rubbery element 13 is made of a rubbery material, some drawbacks may occur. For example, during operation of the key structure 1, the elastic rubbery element 13 is pushed by the keycap 11 to be subject to deformation, and then the elastic rubbery element 13 is restored to an original state from the deformed state. Since the elastic rubbery element 13 is frequently and repeatedly subject to deformation and restored to the original state, the elastic rubbery element 13 made of the rubbery material is easily degraded or damaged. Under this circumstance, the elastic rubbery element needs to be replaced with a new one. As known, it is difficult for the user to disassemble the key structure and replace the elastic rubbery element.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a key structure with no elastic rubbery element in order to eliminate the above drawbacks.